Cause and Effect
by Literary Angel
Summary: Hunter and Colette Trevelyan, a pair of closely-bonded cousins, sneak out to the forest for some downtime. When a crazed wolf interrupts their fun and leaves Colette with a severe injury, the two learn a devastating family secret: magic not only runs in their blood, but it has surfaced in one of them. Slight CullenxF!Trevelyan. Two-shot. Complete.
1. The Cause

**Cause and Effect** _ **  
**_ _ **Ch. 1: The Cause**_

* * *

Growing up, I lived in an enormous family estate with my parents, grandparents, uncle and his wife, and my cousin Hunter. Our home left us far removed from even the nearest of towns, and children rarely accompanied the diplomats who visited. Hunter was my sole companion, and I was his.

Despite only being cousins, Hunter and I often were mistaken for twins—probably because we took after our identical twin fathers. Just like them, Hunter and I bore auburn hair, freckled skin, and what my mother described as striking blue eyes. We acknowledged our physical similarities and played along when visitors referred to us as siblings. Hunter's father warned us to let the adults deal with the misunderstanding. Something about how we lacked the social grace to politely handle the situation?

This was assuming, of course, Hunter and I stuck around long enough for the mistake to occur. More often than not, we found ourselves in the forest, a good half mile or so from the estate's boundaries. Neither his nor my parents approved of our adventures into the wooded area, but they never stopped us.

As children, we enjoyed our adventures into the wild. As teenagers, though, we desperately sought them. The closer Hunter and I drew to adulthood, the more political heaviness and responsibility lurked around every corner. Our schooling grew rigorous to the point where Hunter, once a proud student, began skipping out on lessons. My uncle and aunt praised my efforts to Father and Mother with obvious envy.

Truthfully, I cared little about school work or even making my parents proud. I only wanted to avoid confrontation as much as possible, so I tolerated the painful amount of work heaped upon me. When it came to my trouble subjects, Hunter jumped in to help me, all the while leaving his own work untouched.

In spite of the intense schooling, Hunter and I still managed to find time to kick back and relax. He and I would camp out near the town's main river. Sometimes we fished or hunted; mostly we messed around like we were young children again.

It was during one of our trips that we discovered something horrible. Hunter had a beautiful buck in sight, his arrow pointed directly at a vital spot. I watched from a distance. I never fancied hunting stunning creatures such as deer, but I also refused to spoil my cousin's fun. All the sudden, as I waited for Hunter's shot, I saw the deer's head jerk up. Hunter naturally saw it, too, so he let the arrow fly.

All I could see was the tail of the deer disappearing when a searing pain gripped my leg. My gaze dropped to my stricken limb instinctively. My blood ran cold. A pair of amber eyes tore into mine as fiercely as the fangs locked around my calf.

I cried out for Hunter, for help, for anything. My balance abandoned me, causing my body to hit the ground with a loud wolf snarled and launched itself at my torso. Rescue came in the form of an arrow whizzing past my line of sight, straight into the wolf's shoulder.

"Dammit!" Hunter cursed, readying another arrow while the beast gathered itself from the attack. "Colette, get out of there!"

The pain pulsing in my leg slowed my attempt at escape, but I somehow managed to crawl backwards and out of the wolf's range. I heard its rage-filled cries, along with the familiar sound of arrow pulled against tense string.

As suddenly as the assault began, it ended. The wolf disappeared into the trees and foliage, leaving my cousin and me alone. Hunter remained alert a moment longer, his arrow lingering on the spot where the wolf vanished. When he determined we were safe, he dropped to his knee and examined my torn calf.

The blood and pain bothered me less than the shredded bits of muscle- I couldn't tell if the inability to move came from that or simply shock. Hunter swore again, more under his breath than previously. I knew without looking at him how petrified he felt. He hated the sight of blood, as it left him queasy and unable to think properly.

Trying to hide my fear, I asked, "Do you think Annette can fix it?"

"Hell if I know," Hunter muttered, swallowing hard. "She's good, but your leg is completely ripped up."

I forced a grin and shoved his shoulder. "Don't exaggerate. It isn't **that** bad."

His lips twitched in an attempt to smile back, but they ultimately remained set in a scowl as he helped me to my feet. He rubbed the back of his neck.

"Can you walk if I help support you, or do you want me to carry you?"

I pondered his question. To self-assess the damage, I put a small amount of weight on my leg. I flinched within seconds of the trial and shook my head. Hunter, understanding, knelt down with his back to me. His eyes caught mine over his shoulder, so I gave him a reassuring smile while gently lowering myself onto his back.

All his years of tearing through the forest kept his legs steady as he stood, somewhat slumped to allow for my added weight. My cheek resting upon his head, I let out a wistful sigh. It had been a long time since we piggybacked, one of our childhood games we were forced to put aside with age.

Of course, he noticed my behavior and commented, "You've put on weight, you know."

I rolled my eyes. "You are so childish some times, Hunter. And yes, I have. In case you hadn't noticed, I have grown quite a bit since last you carried me."

"I'm also stronger, so I shouldn't feel such a difference," He retorted with a smug grin and a glint in his eyes.

Honestly, Hunter could be such a child when he wanted. I envied him a bit for that. In all the years, Hunter remained fairly untouched by adulthood. Perhaps it was because he skipped classes and ditched his responsibilities. Perhaps it was simply his type of personality. Either way, I wished it were as easy for me to cling to my immaturity.

"Thank you for carrying me," I said, voice wavering. "I'm sorry I ruined your hunt."

He snorted and, with no warning whatsoever, proceeded to drop me unceremoniously on the ground. My rear hit the ground somewhat painfully, and I delivered a spiteful glare to my cousin. Kneeling down in front of me, Hunter met my gaze with just as much fierceness. Were he a stranger, I might have missed the tiny hint of an apology in his eyes and the fear tightening his face.

He spoke firmly, "Don't you dare apologize, Colette. Especially not for that reason. I couldn't give a damn about my hunt; what I'm upset about is you being injured on my watch." His hand groped for mine uncertainly, so I took his and interlocked our fingers.

"It's not your fault, though," I assured him. "That wolf was mad, no doubt, and he came out of no where. You couldn't have sensed him any more than I could have. You couldn't have stopped this."

Hunter, stubborn as always, shook his head. "I know the sounds of the forest. I should have heard it coming. I shouldn't have been so focused on the damned deer." His eyes fell to my bloodied leg peeking out beneath my skirt. "We should keep moving. It's bleeding pretty bad, and we don't have anything to wrap it up in. Plus, we need to clean it or something, right? Damn, damn, damn..."

Gazing at the injury, I noted the damage looked worse than it had originally. Annette might be able to clean and dress the wound, but there was no doubt it would take a miracle for my leg to function normally again. I pressed my palm to my calf, soft but sturdy. As I focused on the pain and the blood trickling through my fingers, something clicked in my mind.

Words. Just a few, dancing around in my head. Blurry at first, then clearer. I barely registered Hunter speaking to me, asking me what I was doing. The words rose in my throat and slipped from my lips in a single breath.

Then, not a second later, my hands glowed with a benign light. Neither Hunter nor I spoke when the glow faded, revealing my leg in perfect condition. The only sign of the injury was the remaining blood painting my skin.

Blinking, I raised my eyes to meet Hunter's. We stared at each other for a moment, confused, shocked, and frightened.

"Colette," He whispered to me, "what did you just do?"

* * *

 _A/N:_ So here is part one of a simple two-shot. This is the backstory of my two different (yet linked) Trevelyan inquisitors. I'll explain that a bit more after the next chapter, since I don't want to spoil anything. Anyways, I'm prepping material for a writing contest, so I don't know when I'll get to finishing/posting the conclusion to this. But it will definitely be coming.

Until then, thank you for reading. -LA


	2. The Effect

**Cause and Effect  
** _ **Ch. 2: The Effect**_

* * *

We arrived back at the estate, silent and solemn. What could we—what could I say? The second it happened, I knew. I did not need an expert opinion or evaluation; I had magical abilities. I was a mage.

Neither Hunter nor I feared magic, at least not particularly. We, like many other non-mages, were wary and trusted templars to keep us safe from rogue mages or, worse yet, blood magic. Regardless of the way we felt about magic in general, the idea of me having, using, controlling it...

Hunter and I shared a great deal of trepidation. It radiated off of him, practically tangible, and I felt it consuming me. Oddly, though, the source of the fear I held was unknown to me. At first, it seemed because of my newfound abilities, but the longer Hunter remained shaken and silent...

Perhaps my fear stemmed from the thought of losing him?

I found myself wondering, does he hate me now? Are things between us going to change? So overwhelmed with these thoughts, I hardly noticed his hand on my shoulder, gently shaking me. With a start, I met his eyes. Like always, they were a mirror image of mine.

"Colette," He said softly, his other cupping my face. "You need to calm yourself before one of the servants or, worse, our family sees you in such a state."

Hesitantly, I nodded. "I'll... I'll try. I'm sorry, Hunter, I'm so—" I stopped short when he smirked, furrowing my brow in confusion. "What's so funny?"

"You are horrible at calming down," He stated. Simple, matter-of-fact, calm. How can he be so calm?

I grabbed his hand and held it tightly. "All these years, why so suddenly? Why me?"

Hunter pursed his lips thoughtfully and tugged me up the stairs, away from the main hall. "It's no secret the Trevelyans have magic in their bloodline. That it has surfaced in you could mean a great destiny is on the horizons?"

"Great destiny," I repeated with a half-hearted laugh. "What mage has ever had a great destiny? The only thing being a mage earns you is a lifetime locked away in a tower."

"The Hero of Ferelden—"

"—was an exception," I stopped him. "She was a mage who, through skill and luck, earned a spot among the Wardens. I could never hope for such greatness."

He halted his steps and turned to face me, a serious glint reflected in his eyes. "Michelle Colette Trevelyan, you try hard at everything you do. If you wanted, you could become a mage above all others just like that. Do not sell yourself short, especially in front of me."

We kept walking after his short outburst, and I smiled in spite of the situation. Something about hearing my dear cousin say such a thing, even if I disagreed, made my chest swell with happiness. How could I have doubted him for even a second? Hunter was always like this: complimenting me, encouraging me, teasing me to lift my spirits. Try as he might to hide it beneath witty one-liners and mischief, there existed a kindness within him I doubted anyone else could ever match.

I waited until we entered the family library and closed the door behind us to speak more. While Hunter locked the door, I wandered over to the couch and collapsed upon it.

I sighed, louder than intended, and confessed, "I don't want to go to a circle. I'm happy here, in our home, near our woods... I want to stay with our family. With you."

Taking a seat beside me, he responded softly, "That would be dangerous. Especially if you were discovered later. They might make you Tranquil for living as an apostate."

I tensed and glanced at him. "You think so?"

Shrugging, he answered, "I don't know. Guess it depends on the circle involved, right? Of course, if they tried that, I wouldn't allow it. I'd break into the circle and kidnap you. Anyone who tried to stop me would answer to my bow."

I laughed, thinking his words at least half a joke, but he stared at me with the same intensity as earlier. In a low and quiet voice, he said, "I'm not kidding, Colette. You and I might only be cousins physically, but you mean more to me than anyone else. I won't let anyone hurt you."

"And what if you were killed trying to rescue me?" I returned, my voice just as low. "How do you think I would feel, for however long I could feel?"

He fell silent, eyes searching mine. Finally, he sighed and leaned against the back of the couch. I scooted closer and rested my head on his shoulder. We remained there for a moment, and a need to say something and break the silence built up inside me.

I gently poked his cheek, trying so hard to lighten the mood with a playful gesture. His gaze dropped to mine, and his lips twitched into a smile.

"You know," I said, softer than before, tears welling in my eyes. "I feel the same. You mean more to me than anyone else... And I won't let anyone hurt you."

He leaned in and placed a delicate kiss on my forehead. Then, just like always, he held me tight against his chest and let me cry. I hated how emotional I got, but his hugs were undoubtedly a benefit.

A knock on the door ended our moment as Hunter reluctantly stood and unlocked the door. A servant poked her head in and announced each of our parents were looking for us. We groaned in unison, earning a chuckle from the servant before she left.

As we left the library, Hunter pulled me close and whispered, "It's your decision. I'll support and protect you no matter what."

I nodded and watched him slip away in the opposite direction. My heart felt heavy again, but after talking with Hunter, the weight didn't crush me so completely. I headed for the main hall where my parents waited, thoughts racing in my head. The walk to the hall was both the longest it had ever been... and much too short.

-LA-

My foot impatiently tapping on the floor, my heart racing, a cold sweat beading on my forehead... I must have looked foolish. I sat on the war table, waiting for the advisers. Waiting for the report. Cullen came in first, eyes betraying his concern. He walked over and sat beside me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. A small but happy sigh slipped past my lips as I leaned into him.

I hadn't told him all the details yet, but he was smart. He sensed how important this was to me. He also sensed how absolutely fragile I was. In a way, he reminded me of Hunter.

Josephine entered next, softly smiling at Cullen's and my display of affection. I was grateful Cullen, despite the blush rising to his cheeks, refused to pull away. I brushed against his other hand and entangled our fingers, enjoying the happiness while I could. I wanted to be positive. I wanted to believe in the best outcome.

But... I knew. When Leliana walked in holding a tarnished, yet intact silver chain with our family crest dangling from it, I felt my knees give out. Had Cullen not been at my side and caught me, I would have fallen to the ground. My poor advisers... My poor Cullen... They were confused, bewildered even, by my reaction. I couldn't even explain between the sobs. Cullen, bless him, tried so hard to comfort me despite his confusion.

He asked Leliana and Josephine to give us a moment. Slightly uncertain, Leliana offered me the chain, which I took with shaky hands. She and Josephine excused themselves, leaving me with Cullen, who held me and allowed me to sob against him. Once my sobs quieted, he pulled back to look me in the eyes, tenderly brushing his hand against my cheek.

I could see in his eyes he wanted an explanation, but he wouldn't force one while I was so distraught. Nevertheless, he deserved something, so I told him. I told him of my beloved cousin. I told him of how I found out I was a mage and how Hunter supported me. I told him how my family contacted me about Hunter's presence at the Conclave, which until then I had no clue about, and how I had hoped he didn't arrive because, of course, he never takes these things seriously. And then...

Then, through another round of sobs, I told him about the day I left for the circle when Hunter and I somehow managed to get the same going-away gift for each other. I showed him the necklace beneath my clothing: a silver chain with our family's crest hanging from it.

Cullen's smart. He figured out the rest.

* * *

Thus ends the very late conclusion to this two-shot. Yes, I have my two Trevelyans whose whole story is that, whichever one I'm playing, the other one didn't survive the conclave. I don't know why I make these sad headcanons about my babies. I just do. I like to torture myself emotionally as much as possible.

Anyways! I hope you forgive me for the long wait, and I hope it is up to my and your standards.

Until next time, thank you for reading. -LA


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